White House targeted in anthrax terror campaign

The White House yesterday became the latest target of the anthrax terror campaign. A spokesman for the Bush administration confirmed that a small concentration of anthrax had been found in a sorting office which handles post for the presidency.

The news raised fears that the White House itself was now under attack, prompting President Bush to respond: "There's no question that the evildoers are continuing to try to harm America and Americans. Today, at a remote facility, we detected some anthrax. And just like at the Congress, our government's responding very quickly."

Indicating that he may have already been tested for the disease or the presence of spores, Mr Bush said that he did not have anthrax, the White House was safe, and he was confident that when he comes to work this morning he will be safe. He said: "I don't have anthrax."

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer revealed that spores had been found at the Bolling air force base's mail sorting office, a few miles from the White House.

He said tests will be performed on all mail at that site and all mail room employees at the White House who may be treated with antibiotics. The anthrax spores were detected on a slitter machine which is used to open all the mail meant for the White House. A mail room within the White House was last night being tested for contamination.

Mr Fleischer said he was confident that the White House had not been exposed to anthrax. He would not give details, but it is believed the White House is equipped with specialised scanners that destroy all bacteria and living organisms in the mail.

Anthrax was confirmed in post mortem reports as the cause of death for two postal workers at the weekend who worked at a site in Brentwood, Washington, that handled a letter containing anthrax that was sent to the officers of senate majority leader Tom Daschle.

White House secret service agents noted yesterday that the origin of the anthrax detected at the sorting office was unknown, but mail handled there first passed through Brentwood.

The US Capitol was opened for business again yesterday following its closure after anthrax was sent to Mr Daschle but Congress was still crippled by the closure of administrative offices.

The text of the letter to Mr Daschle was also released yesterday.

It said: "You cannot stop us. We have this anthrax."

The text of the letter containing anthrax sent to NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw said: "09-11-01. This is next. Take penacilin (sic) now. Death to America. Death to Israel. Allah is great."

Three offices where anthrax has been detected around the Capitol complex could remain closed into next month pending clean-up of the potentially deadly bacteria.

Stunned by the deaths of the two postal workers, health secretary Tommy Thompson promised to act faster to protect people from the threat.